


We InterMet

by aNoMyNous1



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe- No Supernatural, Bisexual Dean, Coming Out, Descriptions of past bullying, First Kiss, Gay Castiel, M/M, Online Dating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-03
Updated: 2015-08-03
Packaged: 2018-04-11 01:43:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4416275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aNoMyNous1/pseuds/aNoMyNous1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the Destiel Forever Fanfic Challenge #1</p>
<p>Prompt #42:<br/>Dean has been talking to this Cas143 through message for months now and realizes that he may be falling in love. Which sucks considering that he has never met Cas and he was already in a relationship. Cas had loved Dean since forever and when he first started talking to Dean over messenger he had no idea it was the very same Dean he had already loved. Now he was in even deeper and Dean was wanting to meet. Only problem was, Cas never told Dean he was a guy. First time meeting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic ever. I wasn't going to join the fanfic challenge, but there was one prompt left that no one was offering to take, so I figured, why not? Hopefully it's not too bad. I'm just proud of myself for finishing the darn thing.
> 
> Please leave a comment. I'd like as much feedback as possible.
> 
> Thank you to my first beta xXxClassifiedxXx. She was the first one to look over the final draft for me.
> 
> And a big thank you to my other beta, Fran (palominopup). She is my favorite Destiel fic author, so check out her stories, as well.

Charlie Bradbury, an eccentric, self-proclaimed nerd, was concerned for her best friend, Dean Winchester. He was 26 and currently in a two-year relationship – his first serious relationship ever – with his girlfriend, Jo. Charlie knew that the relationship was hopeless. Dean and Jo were basically just friends who engaged in the very occasional sexual act. Charlie also knew exactly why Dean was so unhappy in his relationship. Jo was a woman.

Charlie had known Dean her whole life – they went to school together from preschool through fourth grade when Dean’s father decided they should move away from Lawrence, Kansas. It was hard to stay in touch because the Winchesters moved around so much after that, but Dean always managed a phone call once in a while and he was able to email sometimes from a public library or whatever school he was attending at the time.

In one of her emails, when they were about twelve years old, Charlie came out to Dean. She said she had always known that she was a lesbian, but that Dean was the first person she actually told. He was excited for her and told her that nothing would ever change the way he felt about her. “Best friends for life,” he always said.

When Dean moved back to Lawrence during freshman year, it was the reunion of the century. They became inseparable – even more so than they had been when they were little. On Dean’s first day back in school, they sat at lunch together and Charlie would point out all the hot girls and tell him things about them. Dean always smiled and made stupid comments like, “I’d bang her in a heartbeat,” or, “I’d pay anything to see her naked.” It was about a week after Dean had been back that Charlie noticed something new about her best friend. They were at lunch again and Dean was gazing longingly at something or someone across the cafeteria. She followed his line of sight to find, not a beautiful girl but, a hot guy at the jocks’ table. She tapped Dean’s shoulder and he snapped his head around to look at her.

“Like what you see?” she asked with a smirk.

“What?” Dean sounded defensive. “I wasn’t looking at anything.”

“Mmhmm. Sure.” She didn’t say anything more.

She noticed Dean checking out guys quite a bit after that, but he was very good at hiding it from other people. She never mentioned it to him though – she figured if he was gay, or bi, he would tell her when he was ready.

He never got a chance to tell her, however, because she caught him in the act at a party the night of their graduation. Dean had wandered off in the crowded house and eventually Charlie grew bored and went to look for him. She found him in one of the bedrooms upstairs… with a _guy_. Dean – his side facing the door – was kneeling in front of the guy, dick in his mouth, and froze the second he heard the door creak open.

“Dean?” Charlie asked, not sounding very surprised.

He stood quickly and turned to face her. “Charlie! It’s not what you think!”

She tried to bite back a smile as she swiveled around and pulled the door shut behind her.

Dean made sure his fly was zipped up, then mumbled an apology to the guy before rushing out of the room. He ran down the stairs through the mob of teenagers shouting Charlie’s name. He finally caught up with her outside the house in the driveway.

“Let me explain,” he pleaded, out of breath.

“You don’t have to explain anything to me, Dean. ‘Best friends for life,’ right?” She smiled and pulled him into a hug.

Dean didn’t hug her back, just gently pushed her away. “I _want_ to explain.” He huffed out a breath, “Look, the guy asked me if I wanted a blow job. I’d had a few shots and I didn’t have anything better to do so I said sure. We found an empty room and he blew me. Then I returned the favor. It was a one time thing – I’ve never done anything like that before. I’m not gay.”

“It doesn’t matter to me, Dean.”

“Well it matters to me! I’m _not_ gay! Okay? I’m not!”

“Okay.” She knew it wasn’t true, but it was what Dean needed to hear.

They left the party right after that and Dean made Charlie swear to never mention any of it to anyone. Ever.

 

***

 

After high school, Dean started working full-time at his Uncle Bobby’s repair shop, Singer Auto. Most nights he spent hanging out with his buddies. They always managed to get their hands on some sort of alcohol, usually beer, but Dean developed quite an affinity for whiskey. When he turned 21, he made it his mission to try every type of whiskey in every bar within a 30-minute drive of Lawrence. Many of those nights ended with Dean finding a pretty girl to follow home. He never spent the night with any of them, just left as soon as the sex was over.

His long run of one-night-stands ended after three years when he met Jo, a new waitress at his favorite bar. She was cute and there seemed to be a spark between them so in no time at all, they had started dating. The sex was great in the beginning and before long they even started spending most nights together. By the six-month mark, the sex was much more infrequent, maybe a few times a month, and it was more mechanical than sensual. Though their sex life was stagnant, they enjoyed each other’s company and never felt the need to break up or see other people.

Although the _relationship_ wasn’t necessarily unhappy, _Dean_ was unhappy. Charlie couldn’t handle watching him stumble through the motions of life without any real joy or contentment, so she racked her brain for some sort of solution.

Since Charlie’s specialty was computers, when the idea struck her, she couldn’t believe she hadn’t thought of it sooner: A dating website! But she had to be sneaky about it. It would have to be a chat-based site – no webcams, no pictures. Maybe Charlie could get Dean to chat with a guy without him actually knowing it was a guy. That way, Dean would get to know the guy for who he really was on the inside, and not get caught up in looks. And if they hit it off and decided to meet in person, Dean would just have to get over the initial shock until he realized that he really liked the guy, so why not give it a go.

Charlie searched for dating sites and found the perfect one: www.randomchatdating.com, a chat-based site without webcams or profiles with pictures – just a small section for interests and preferences. Charlie set to work right away.


	2. Chapter 2

Charlie was sitting at Dean’s kitchen table with his laptop while he was slumped down on the couch in the living room.

“I don’t need to use a dating site, Charlie,” Dean groaned. “I’m with Jo.”

“You and I both know you guys are just friends. You need to find someone to fall in love with,” Charlie argued as she set up an account for Dean on www.RandomChatDating.com.

**Username:** Dean1989

**Sex:** Male

**Interested in:** Men **who live within:** 60 miles **of:** Lawrence, KS

**Looking for:** short-term dating, long-term dating, serious relationship

“Just give it a try. Come in here and check it out,” Charlie ordered.

Dean got up reluctantly and went to sit next to her.

“Look. Here’s a list of the people online right now who you can chat with,” she pointed to the screen. “Let’s go with this one: Cas143.” _That sounds like it could be a girl’s name_ , Charlie thought to herself.

She spoke aloud as she typed the message

**Dean1989:** Hey. My name is Dean, I’m 26 years old and I live in Lawrence, KS.

The computer dinged.

**Cas143:** Hello, Dean. My name is Cas. I am 28 years old and I live in Eudora, KS.

**Dean1989:** Cool. So you’re really close by then.

**Cas143:** Yes. It appears so.

**Dean1989:** Okay. So, tell me about yourself, Cas. What do you do for a living?

Charlie slid the computer over in front of Dean. “Here, you continue the conversation. I have to go now. Have fun!” She patted Dean’s shoulder as she stood, then let herself out the front door.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Dean grumbled as he turned his attention back to the screen and read the stranger’s response.

**Cas143:** I’m a librarian, and in my spare time I am a beekeeper.

**Dean1989:** Bees huh? I’m definitely not a fan of bees.

**Cas143:** Are you allergic?

**Dean1989:** Nah. I just don’t like the idea of getting stung. Happened once when I was little and it hurt like a bitch.

**Cas143:** I am sorry to hear that. My bees have never stung anyone. They won’t sting you unless they feel threatened.

**Dean1989:** Well I’d still rather not take my chances.

**Cas143:** I understand.

**Cas143:** So, what do you do for a living, Dean?

**Dean1989:** I’m a mechanic.

**Cas143:** Do you enjoy your job?

**Dean1989:** Hell yeah! Nothing better than getting all dirty working on an engine.

**Dean1989:** Classic cars are my specialty though.

**Cas143:** I’ll have to take your word for that. I’m not sure I could even fix a flat tire.

**Dean1989:** Well that’s just unacceptable. I guess I’ll have to teach you a few things sometime ;)

**Cas143:** Yes. I suppose that would be helpful.

**Dean1989:** What kind of car do you drive?

**Cas143:** A Prius Hybrid. What about you?

**Dean1989:** I drive a ’67 Chevy Impala that I restored years ago. She’s one sweet ride.

**Dean1989:** I named her Baby.

**Cas143:** I have never named a car before. Perhaps you could help me choose a name for my car.

**Dean1989:** Yeah. I could do that. But I’d have to take her for a drive first. Get a feel for her. Get to know her.

**Cas143:** I didn’t realize naming a car required so much work.

**Dean1989:** Oh yeah. You can’t just pick out any old name. It’s gotta be the right fit for the car.

**Cas143:** In that case, I will most definitely need your assistance. I wouldn’t want to give my car the wrong name.

**Dean1989:** Haha. Well I’d be happy to help you ;)

[Long moment of silence]

**Cas143:** So what are some of your “likes?” I believe that is a popular question to ask when getting to know a potential partner.

Dean huffed a quiet laugh.

**Dean1989:** I like cars, classic rock, playing guitar, and a nice glass of whiskey after a long day.

**Dean1989:** Oh and pie.

**Dean1989:** I LOVE pie.

**Cas143:** Yes, pie is very good.

**Dean1989:** Pie is better than ‘very good’. Pie is Heaven.

**Dean1989:** What about you? What are your likes?

**Cas143:** I love bees and collecting honey, obviously. I also enjoy reading, running, yoga and gardening.

**Cas143:** And burgers.

**Cas143:** I love a nice juicy cheeseburger.

**Dean1989:** Juicy, huh? ;)

**Cas143:** Yes. Dry burgers aren’t as good. Although, if there is a lot of cheese on it, then that’s okay.

Cas clearly didn’t get Dean’s attempt at a flirtatious innuendo.

**Dean1989:** Right. So do you have any siblings?

**Cas143:** 7

**Dean1989:** 7? Like seven?

**Cas143:** Yes. I have one sister and six brothers. I am the youngest.

**Dean1989:** Wow. That’s crazy. I can’t imagine having such a big family.

**Cas143:** It can get quite hectic.

**Cas143:** Do you have any siblings, Dean?

**Dean1989:** I have a little brother. Well, he’s not so little. He’s taller than me, but he’s 4 years younger.

**Dean1989:** Tell me more about your family. What aer they like?

**Dean1989:** *are

**Cas143:** Well, my parents are very devout Christians – my father is a minister. They were very strict about us going to church every Sunday, reading from the Bible every day, and they made us go to a private Christian school until high school when we were allowed to go to public school if we wanted to.

**Dean1989:** I bet they were super strict with their daughters, huh? Like with dating and stuff.

Cas paused. “Daughters?” He had told Dean that he only had one sister. Maybe it was just a typo and he added the “s” by mistake. Unless… Surely Dean didn’t think he was a girl, right? No, of course not. _It was just a typo,_ he convinced himself.

**Cas143:** I’ve never been very close with my family, except for my brother Gabriel, who is three years older than I am.

Cas continued to talk about his family, saying that he was always sort of odd – different from the rest of his siblings. He was sort of an old soul who put more focus in spirituality than structured religion. He was always a good person though; never did drugs; got straight A’s and had a 4.2 GPA; never drank while he was underage or got drunk; and never got into any serious trouble. He had always been quiet and never had many friends – he preferred reading books rather than being around people. He was picked on quite a lot growing up, from elementary school all the way through high school. Even his brothers teased him – relentlessly. He was bullied in school for different reasons throughout the years. It started getting significantly worse in third grade when he got glasses. Maybe it was because he was so quiet and didn’t have any friends that made him an easy target. He wasn’t the only one in his class with glasses, although the other kids who had them had gotten them in kindergarten or even earlier. By fourth grade, he was teased about his haircut, among other things. It looked really dorky, but his mother had chosen it. He’d had no say in the matter. By the end of fourth grade he was tagged as being a “retard” simply because he hardly ever spoke.

In fifth grade, he talked even less. His teacher, thankfully, was very understanding. After the first few weeks of the school year, she talked to him privately after lunch one day and asked him why he never spoke or socialized with the other students. He just shrugged and said, “I don’t know.” She tried to encourage him to speak up more and to make at least one friend, but she quickly realized her efforts were futile and stopped pressing the issue. After that, she rarely called on him and avoided putting him on the spot in front of his classmates.

Sixth grade meant moving up to the middle school, a separate building on the same campus of the Kansas Christian Academy. On his first day, he met a new girl named Ruby. She seemed to be almost as quiet as Cas and always had her nose in a book, just like him. At lunch that first day, Cas sat alone at a small table in the back corner of the cafeteria. After a few minutes, Ruby came over and asked if she could sit with him. He shrugged and she sat down right next to him. He ignored her and started reading his book as he munched on his sandwich.

“What’s your favorite book?” she asked in a soft voice.

Cas shrugged again.

“Mine is Pride and Prejudice. Have you read it?”

Cas shook his head, not looking away from his book, a biography on Abraham Lincoln.

“Do you like fiction or do you mostly read non-fiction?”

He didn’t like questions that required actual answers – yes-or-no questions were always better. Cas sighed and turned his head towards her but looked down at her tray of food. “I guess I prefer non-fiction, but I read fiction, as well. I’ll read anything, really.”

She smiled. “What’s your favorite kind of fiction to read? I like mysteries.”

Cas shrugged, looking back at his book. “Sci-fi, I guess. You can kind of escape to a completely different world. I like that.”

“Yeah, that’s why I love fictional stories so much. You get to create a different universe in your head based on the book.”

Cas nodded.

“It’s nice to escape from the real world sometimes,” she said sadly.

Cas lifted his head and looked her in the eyes for the first time. He gave her a sympathetic smile. “Yeah.”

They became best friends after that. They didn’t talk much, just read books in each other’s company. When they did talk, it was usually about what they had read. By seventh grade, they had become so close that they often held hands while walking down the halls between classes, although it was strictly platonic. That gave the other students new ammo to use against Cas, bullying him about being “in love with Ruby.”

**Cas143:** I can’t believe I’ve been rambling on like this. I apologize. Surely you want to talk about something else.

**Dean1989:** No it’s fine. Really.

**Dean1989:** It’s helping me really get to know you, not just your hobbies or favorite color or whatever.

**Cas143** If you insist.

**Dean1989:** I do.

Cas continued. In eighth grade, he still got picked on, but it was never anything major and he had Ruby by his side to make it better. For high school, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to switch to public school, but when he found out that Ruby was transferring there, he decided he wanted to go also. Luckily, his brother Gabriel was a senior there and very popular, so the bullies backed off and basically left him alone for the whole year. It was such a relief that he actually started to come out of his shell a bit. He talked to some of his peers once in a while and even volunteered to answer questions in class from time to time. Unfortunately, that ended when sophomore year began.

**Cas143:** Ruby and I stayed best friends and still held hands sometimes, but that was it.

**Dean1989:** I get that. You were just really good friends. Nothing wrong with that.

**Cas143:** Well, for some reason, rumors started to spread that I was a “prude,” which quickly turned into me being gay.

**Dean1989:** What? That makes no sense. You weren’t doing anything sexual with Ruby so why would they say you were gay?

Cas had to read that comment twice. _They thought I was gay because I wouldn’t date Ruby, so they thought I didn’t like girls,_ Cas thought. _Why would Dean not understand that? Was I right before? Does he think I’m a woman?_

He started to type: “Because they figured that if I didn’t like Ruby, then I didn’t like girls. And if a guy doesn’t like girls, then he must be gay.” Before he hit enter, another thought occurred to him. _What if he does think I’m a woman? He hasn’t seen a picture of me. What if he isn’t gay? If he isn’t and I tell him I’m a guy, then it’s all over. He’ll never talk to me again._ He deleted what he had typed.

**Cas143:** I don’t know.

**Dean1989:** Well that’s just stupid. Kids are so mean in school. I’m not saying I never picked on anyone, but bullying someone for being gay? That’s completely unacceptable. I would’ve pounded any kid who did that at my school.

**Cas143:** Too bad you weren’t there to defend me. I could’ve really used a friend like you my junior and senior years. It got pretty brutal at that point.

**Dean1989:** Brutal? How so? Did it get physical?

**Cas143:** No offense, Dean, but I’d rather not talk about this anymore for now.

**Dean1989:** No, that’s fine. I understand. But for what it’s worth, I’m sorry that happened to you. :(

**Cas143:** It’s in the past now.

**Dean1989:** And clearly you’ve moved on. So… let’s move this conversation on.

**Cas143:** Yes, let’s. Tell me more about you, Dean. What was it like for you growing up?

**Dean1989:** Well, my mom died when I was 4 and my brother Sam was only 6 months old.

**Cas143:** That must have been very difficult for you.

**Dean1989:** Yeah. It was a house fire. Electrical. She had fallen asleep in the nursery. My dad ran in there as soon as he smelled smoke. The smoke detector didn’t go off for some reason. My dad started screaming to wake my mom and me up.

**Dean1989:** She immediately woke up and grabbed Sammy but her nightgown got snagged on the crib. So my dad took Sam and gave him to me as soon as I came out of my room. He told me to take Sammy and run.

**Dean1989:** So I did.

**Dean1989:** Apparently, just before my dad turned back to help my mom, the curtains caught fire real quick, like all at once, and the flames reached my mom’s nightgown. I guess the type of fabric made it burn super fast and it like, melted to her skin.

**Cas143:** That’s awful.

**Dean1989:** My dad carried her outside. She was still alive, but her whole body was burned real bad. Me and Sam were fine and my dad just had to wear an oxygen mask for a while. He rode in the ambulance with my mom and the old lady next door took me and Sam to the hospital.

**Dean1989:** When we got there we found our dad and he was crying. I’d never seen him cry before. He said my mom was with the doctors and they were trying to make her better. I was only 4, but I knew it was bad. Really bad.

**Dean1989:** We were in the waiting room for such a long time. Sam kept crying. I think I fell asleep after a while, cuz I remember my dad waking me up and saying we could go see my mom.  He warned me that she was gonna look really different and probably kind of scary.

**Dean1989:** She was covered in bandages and wires and stuff, but I went right up to her bedside. I kissed her cheek and told her I loved her. Bobby, my dad’s best friend, came and got me and Sam from the hospital, but my dad stayed. He came home the next day and said that my mom was gone and she was never coming back.

**Cas143:** Oh Dean, I’m so sorry. That must have been horrible for you and your brother, as well as your father.

**Dean1989:** Yeah. Well it wasn’t too bad for Sam cuz he was just a baby so he didn’t really know what was going on, but he cried a lot more than usual after that. I think he could feel how sad the rest of us were.

**Cas143:** Yes, babies are often very perceptive that way.

**Dean1989:** He was kinda lucky though, in a way. He doesn’t have any memories of my mom, so there’s nothing for him to miss. I remember everything about her. Her smile, the way she smelled, how she used to sing “Hey Jude” to me every night. :(

**Cas143:** If I could, I would give you a hug right now.

**Dean1989:** Thanks, Cas. That would be nice.

**Cas143:** We can talk about something else now if it would make you more comfortable.

**Dean1989:** No, it’s okay. It’s sorta nice getting all this stuff off my chest.

**Cas143:** In that case, please continue.

**Dean1989:** So, after that, my dad started drinking a lot and me and Sam had to stay with Bobby for a while. It wasn’t too bad. He was like a really cool uncle. We even called him Uncle Bobby. Still do.

**Cas143:** I’m glad you had someone there for you like that.

**Dean1989:** Me too.

**Dean1989:** Eventually we moved back in with our dad into a 2-bedroom apartment cuz he sold the house. He couldn’t stand the thought of living there without Mom.

**Cas143:** That is understandable.

**Dean1989:** My dad had trouble keeping a job, so by the time I was about 10 he decided we should move somewhere else. A different state. Apparently he found a job cuz he was making enough money for food and stuff, but he left me and Sam alone a lot. I had to make sure we both got to school on time and that Sam got home safe and everything.

**Dean1989:** We didn’t stay anywhere too long. We moved a bunch of times. I eventually found out that my dad was making money by gambling and by scamming people.

**Dean1989:** Halfway through my freshman year of high school, my dad said we were moving again. I couldn’t stand another move, so I called Bobby and we arranged for me and Sam to go live with him. That was the best day of my life.

**Cas143:** That’s wonderful that Bobby was able to take you in like that.

**Dean1989:** Yeah. He totally saved my life.

**Dean1989:** Anyway, I finished my freshman year at Lawrence High School. Tried out for the baseball team and made Varsity. I was the first freshman to ever make Varsity.

**Cas143:** You must have been very good.

Cas realized something at that point. He had gone to Lawrence High School too. He should have gone to Eudora High, but they taught Sex Ed., so his über-religious parents made him go to Lawrence instead. If Dean was two years younger than him that meant he would have been a junior when Dean was a freshman. That also meant that Dean must be Dean Winchester. Dean Winchester, who was the most gorgeous man Cas had ever laid eyes on. Dean Winchester, who Cas had a huge crush on since the first moment he saw him. Cas was talking to _the_ Dean Winchester. _His_ Dean Winchester. The man of his dreams. He had always regretted never talking to Dean back then, not that Dean would have wanted anything to do with him. But then Cas realized something else. Dean Winchester was straight. He was always into girls back in high school. Had that changed? Had Dean been in the closet that whole time? Did Cas really have a chance with Dean Winchester? He’d have to wait and see. But for the time being, it was probably best not to tell Dean that he knew him.

**Dean1989:** You could say that. I was always pretty good at sports. Well, back then at least.

**Dean1989:** My sophomore year I played football and baseball and made Varsity for both. Same thing my junior and senior years.

**Dean1989:** I guess you could say I was the popular jock type. I wasn’t a bully though and I tried to step in whenever I saw other kids being bullied.

**Cas143:** I wish I’d had a friend like you back then.

**Dean1989:** If we’d been friends I would’ve scared all the bullies away from you.

_You did,_ Cas thought. He remembered a certain incident his senior year. He was in the locker room after P.E. and a few of the other guys were pushing him around. Dean walked in just as one of them shoved Cas into some lockers. Hard. Dean yelled at them to leave him alone and they immediately ran off.

“You okay?” Dean had asked.

Cas nodded, then said a quiet “thank you” as he fled the locker room.

He decided not to mention the memory to Dean.

**Cas143:** I would have greatly appreciated it.

**Dean1989:** :)

**Cas143:** Did you go to college?

**Dean1989:** Nah. I got a job at my Uncle Bobby’s auto shop as soon as I turned 16. I worked there part time until graduation and then I started working full time. Bobby’s graduation gift to me was my own apartment.

**Cas143:** Wow. That was very generous of him.

**Dean1989:** He converted the second floor of the shop into a small apartment. I had to pay rent, but only a fraction of what I would’ve paid anywhere else.

**Cas143:** You still work there, so does that mean you still live there?

**Dean1989:** Yes and no. I still live on the property, but not in the apartment.

**Cas143:** Oh?

**Dean1989:** Few years back some of my buddies helped me build a small house in a corner of Bobby’s property. Nothing fancy, just a 2-bedroom with a garage. :)

**Cas143:** That sounds nice.

**Dean1989:** I love it. The guest room is basically Sam’s room cuz he’s the only one that’s ever stayed in it.

**Cas143:** Does he visit often?

**Dean1989:** Not really. Definitely not as much as I wish he did. But he’s got a girlfriend that he’s been with for over 2 years and he’s got a job at some fancy schmancy law firm. I don’t even know what he does there cuz he isn’t a lawyer yet. But anyway, he visits most holidays and I’ve been to visit him a few times.

**Cas143:** It must be hard to be so far away from someone you are so close to.

**Dean1989:** We skype a lot, which helps. But yeah, I definitely wish he still lived here.

**Dean1989:** Enough about me and Sammy. What about you Cas? Do you have a house or apartment or what?

**Cas143:** I live in a studio apartment, but it’s quite large. It looks a bit like a library though because I have so many books.

**Dean1989:** Haha. You’re a total nerd, aren’t you? >

**Cas143:** I have been referred to as one on several occasions, but I don’t think I am a nerd. I’m just me.

**Dean1989:** I’m just joshin you. You seem really cool actually. I like people who aren’t afraid to be themselves. Screw what other people think.

**Cas143:** You seem really cool, as well, Dean. I enjoy talking with you very much.

**Dean1989:** Me too, Cas. ;)

**Dean1989:** Sorry Cas, but Sam just called so I think I’m gonna go so I can talk to him, okay?

**Cas143:** That’s fine, Dean. Hopefully we can talk again soon.

**Dean1989:** I’d like that. I can get on here again tomorrow evening if that works for you. Around 6:00ish.

**Cas143:** That works for me. Talk to you tomorrow, Dean.

**Dean1989:** You too Cas.

**Cas143:** Goodbye.

**Dean1989:** Bye.


	3. Chapter 3

Dean got online the next evening to see that Cas was already signed in. They chatted for over three hours that night.

In the morning, Dean stopped by Jo’s apartment on his way to work. He felt terrible, but he knew that he needed to end their relationship – if you could even call it that. He was relieved to find out that Jo felt the same way and agreed that it was for the best.

That night, Dean talked to Cas for nearly five hours. But it was the next evening, after the conversation had been going on for a few hours, when things started to heat up.

 **Dean1989:** So… what are your turn-ons?

 **Cas143:** Do you mean sexually?

 **Dean1989:** Yeah. If you don’t mind talking about that.

 **Cas143:** No, I suppose that’s okay.

 **Cas143:** Well, I like a lot of touching. I love the sensation of a man’s hands on my skin.

 **Dean1989:** Nice. Where’s your favorite place to be touched?

 **Cas143:** I don’t know if I have a favorite place, but I really like having the insides of my thighs touched – not tickled, but gently caressed.

 **Dean1989:** Mmm. What else do you like?

 **Cas143:** I like having my hair played with.

 **Cas143:** I can’t believe I’m telling you these things.

 **Dean1989:** It’s okay. There’s no need to feel embarrassed about it babe. Let me tell you what I like…

 **Dean1989:** I like getting massages and having my neck and ears kissed. And nibbled. And I really love having my nipples played with. They’re super sensitive. It drives me wild.

 **Cas143:** In that case, I bet it’s easy to get you aroused.

 **Dean1989:** Very easy. You just gotta start touching my nipples ;)

 **Cas143:** Well, I also love giving pleasure. I like getting it too, of course, but I love doing everything I can to please my lover.

 **Dean1989:** Does that include oral?

 **Cas143:** Yes. (I am blushing so hard right now.)

 **Dean1989:** Mmm.

 **Dean1989:** I’d do everything I could to make you moan. I love that sound, especially hearing my name moaned. I think that might turn me on even more than having my nipples played with.

 **Cas143:** Well I’m not very good at being quiet, but I guess I wouldn’t have to worry about that with you.

 **Dean1989:** Not at all. I’d encourage you to make as much noise as you want baby.

 **Cas143:** I’d love to just let go like that; just surrender to all those sensations.

 **Dean1989:** Surrender, huh?

 **Cas143:** I don’t mean surrender, as in, submit and be dominated. I just mean letting loose… relaxing into it all and forgetting about everything else in the world.

 **Dean1989:** Yeah. That would be amazing.

 **Dean1989:** And I’m not into that dom/sub stuff either, by the way.

 **Cas143:** Okay, good.

Dean squirmed in his chair as he felt his pants becoming tighter, but he didn’t want to take things too far sexually before he even met Cas face-to-face. As if meeting for the first time wouldn’t be awkward enough.

 **Dean1989:** Before we go any further with this kind of stuff, maybe we should think about when to meet up in person. I’m not trying to rush you though.

Cas’s mind started racing as he thought about what it would be like to meet up with Dean in person. _Will he be mad when he finds out I’m a guy? What will he do? Will he yell at me? Will he punch me? Will he just walk out? Should I tell him beforehand in case that makes him change his mind? Should I wait longer, let him get to know me better? Maybe then he’d fall for me and at least be open to the idea of being with a man. But it wouldn’t be fair to keep stringing him along. I guess I should just risk it and meet up with him sooner rather than later. If it’s going to end, it might as well end now before I get my hopes up any higher._

 **Cas143:** Okay. When and where should we meet?

 **Dean1989:** Tomorrow is sunday, so I don’t work. Are you free around lunchtime?

 **Cas143:** Yes, I am.

 **Dean1989:** Awesome. We can meet at the Bean  & Leaf in Lawrence. Do you know where it is?>

 **Cas143:** Yes. I’ve been there before. Should we say 12:00?

 **Dean1989:** Works for me.

 **Cas143:** Okay. I will see you at 12:00 tomorrow at the Bean  & Leaf.

 **Dean1989:** I can’t wait :)

 **Cas143:** Good night, Dean.

 **Dean1989:** Night Cas.

 

***

 

Dean got to the coffee house just after 11:30 am, not wanting to risk being late. He found an empty table near the back and took a seat facing the door, then pulled out his phone to text Charlie.

 **To Charlie:** Just got to the Bean.

 **From Charlie:** Already? Aren’t you meeting at 12?

 **To Charlie:** Yeah, but it was better than waiting at home. Plus I didn’t wanna be late.

 **From Charlie:** Are you nervous?

Dean paused to take inventory of his nerves. One of his knees was rapidly bouncing up and down, he was chewing – more like gnawing – on his bottom lip, and his hands were visibly shaking.

 **To Charlie:** Not really.

 **From Charlie:** Yeah, I’m sure. Well, Cas might get there early too, so I’m gonna go. Good luck!

 **To Charlie:** Thanks. I’ll need it.

Dean put his phone in his pants pocket, then took it out and set it on the table, then put it back in his pants pocket, then put it in the breast pocket of his jacket. Deciding that was the best place for it, he rested his elbows on the table. He started rubbing vigorously at the smudges of engine grease on his hands that hadn’t washed off in the shower, but he looked up every time someone walked in the door. At one point, he looked up when the door opened just long enough to see a man in a trench coat walk in before looking back at his own hands. A couple seconds later he heard, “Dean?” and looked up to see the trench-coated man in front of him.

Dean stared up at the man and noticed the bluest eyes he had ever seen.

“Dean? I’m Cas.”

Dean jumped to his feet, eyes wide with shock. “ _You’re_ Cas? B-but… I thought you were a… But you’re a…” he stammered. “I’ll be right back,” he said, then bolted out the door.

Stunned, Cas watched Dean race out of the café, turn, then walk out of sight. He turned back to the table and sat down. As he plopped his head down onto the table, he knew that Dean wouldn’t be coming back.

 

 

Outside, Dean walked to the end of the block and called Charlie.

“Hey, what’s up?” she greeted.

“Did you know about this?” Dean growled at her.

“Know about what?”

“That Cas is a _guy_!”

“I had no idea,” she said feigning innocence.

“You sneaky little… Now what am I supposed to do? I just walked out on the guy!”

“Well, get back in there and enjoy your date, dummy.”

“Didn’t you hear me? He’s a _he_!” Dean barked.

“Look. Did you like Cas when you thought he was a girl?”

“Well, yeah, but – “

“But nothing. You like Cas. Cas the person. So he happens to be in a man’s body. No big deal. It’s not his body that you were attracted to, right? It was the inside – his personality. Just give him a chance, okay? For me?”

“Fine,” Dean huffed. “But when it doesn’t work out I’m gonna say ‘I told you so.’”

“Whatever. Just let me know how it goes. Later!” The line clicked.

Dean pocketed his phone then took a deep breath and squared his shoulders.

When he walked back into The Bean & Leaf, he couldn’t help but quietly chuckle when he saw Cas was sitting down with his forehead on the table, arms hanging down at his sides.  He walked over and resumed his seat across from Cas.

“Sorry about that,” he said.

Cas slowly lifted his head and blinked owlish eyes at Dean. “You came back,” he said, clearly surprised.

“Yeah. I just… I thought you were a chick, okay? I figured Cas was short for like Cassandra or Cassidy or something. And my friend created my profile on the site and I thought she set it up so that it would only connect me with girls to talk to.” Dean was rambling. He never rambled, but somehow, he couldn’t stop. “That’s why I kind of freaked when I saw you. So I went outside and called my friend, Charlie. She’s the one who set me up on the website. It turns out she put that I was interested in guys ‘cause she thinks I’m gay for some reason, but I’m not. Not that there’s anything wrong with being gay. She’s gay! Charlie, I mean. But I’m not gay. I’ve definitely never had sex with a guy. Not because I think it’s gross or wrong or anything, ‘cause it’s not. It’s actually pretty hot. No, I mean… Man, is it hot in here, or what?”  
“Dean?” Cas smiled at him.

“Yeah?”

“Take a deep breath and relax.”

Dean closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. He opened his eyes when he heard a chair moving across the floor. Cas was standing up.

“Would you like anything to drink?” Cas asked.

“No. Yeah. I mean, uh, coffee? Yeah, coffee would be good. Thanks. Black, no sugar.”

 _Get it together!_ Dean told himself when Cas walked over to the counter. _There’s no reason to be so nervous, man. He’s a dude. I’m not even into dudes. Right? I mean, yeah, sometimes I think about being with a guy. Kissing him, feeling his strong hands on my body, touching his hard cock, letting him suck me off, maybe finger his ass a little, spread him open so I can stick my –_

“You okay?” Cas’s voice startled him out of his thoughts.

“Yeah,” he cleared his throat. “I’m fine. You?”

“I’m okay.” He set one of the coffees in front of Dean.

“Thanks,” Dean said, staring down at the steaming mug.

“No problem.” Cas sat down again. “Look, Dean, it’s okay if you’re not gay, or bi, even though I am. I’d still like to be friends though, if you’d like that.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’d like that.” Dean looked up and found himself getting lost is Cas’s blue eyes. He couldn’t help but smile.

Cas stared right back into Dean’s gorgeous green eyes, as if he was trying to look into his soul.

“I don’t really have many friends,” Cas admitted while Dean’s gaze moved to his pale pink lips, “so you’ll have to excuse my lack of experience. What do friends usually do in situations like this?”

 _Kiss_ was the first thing that came to Dean’s mind. “Uh, well… we could talk.”

“About what?” Cas smiled.

“Well, where did we leave off in our conversation yesterday?”

“We ended with planning to meet here today. Before that, I believe we were talking about turn-ons,“ Cas said matter-of-factly.

Dean coughed and immediately looked down. He lifted his coffee and took a sip, feeling a blush creep across his cheeks.

“I apologize. Does that topic make you uncomfortable now that you know I am a man?”

Dean glanced up at Cas for a split second. “No,” he lied, “it’s just, uh, not really the kind of thing you talk about in public.” _And it would not be cool if I got a boner right now,_ he thought.

“Ah, yes. Then what would be an appropriate topic to discuss?”

Dean stared into Cas’s questioning eyes. “I don’t know. I can’t really think of anything right now,” _except getting my mouth on those lips and running my fingers through that sexy mess of hair._

“Well, this is a bit awkward then, isn’t it?” Cas chuckled.

“Heh. Yeah. Um… what you said before about a person being gay or bi…do you really think someone can be bisexual? Is it actually possible for someone to be attracted to women _and_ men?”

“Absolutely,” Cas spoke comfortably. “Everyone finds different physical qualities attractive. I happen to be attracted to men but not women. Well, I do find certain women attractive, but not in a sexual way.”

“So you’d never date or sleep with a woman?”

“I can’t say ‘never’ because I could meet a woman some day and fall in love with her even though I probably wouldn’t initially be attracted to her sexually. But I would never deny myself a loving relationship because of the other person’s gender.”

“But do you ever, like, fantasize about women?”

Cas made a puzzled expression, wondering where Dean was going with his line of questioning. “I used to as a teenager. Eventually I realized that I was just afraid of admitting that I was gay – even to myself – because it was yet another thing that would set me apart from my peers.”

Dean’s brow furrowed in thought, “So you just got to a point where you said, ‘Fuck it. I don’t care what other people think.’?”

Cas let out a deep chuckle and the sound sent a tingling sensation through Dean’s whole body. “Not exactly. I just realized that I would never have a chance at happiness if I denied who I really was. But yes, in a sense, it was a matter of trying not to care so much about what other people thought of me. I still cared what they thought, but I didn’t let that stop me from being true to myself. I know that some people look at me negatively because of my sexuality, but I have the right to be with whomever I love – man or woman.”

Dean was speechless. He took a long sip of coffee and Cas mirrored the action. Eventually Dean spoke again, “Man, I wish I had met you when I was a teenager. My life would have turned out so much different.”

“Actually, we did meet when we were teenagers,” Cas grinned.

Dean creased his eyebrows, wondering what the hell Cas was talking about.

“I’m from Eudora, but I went to Lawrence High School. You didn’t really know I existed, but I knew exactly who you were. Star athlete, most popular guy in his class. You stopped a bunch of guys who were bullying me one day,” Cas looked down in embarrassment.

“I did? Why don’t I remember you?”

“Well, for starters, I went by my full name back then, Castiel.”

“Oh my gosh! You’re Gabe Novak’s brother! Now I remember you,” Dean smiled.

Cas sighed. “Yeah, Gabe’s dorky little brother.”

“You weren’t dorky. Well, you dressed kinda dorky – all preppy and shit – but I never thought you were a dork.”

“Thanks,” Cas blushed.

“It was in the locker room, right?”

Cas crinkled his brow in confusion.

“The time you were being bullied,” Dean clarified. “It was in the locker room.”

“Oh. Yes, it was. You came in when they were pushing me around and you scared them off. You were kind of my hero.”

“Nah, I was just helpin’ a guy out.”

“You were the first and only person who ever stood up for me like that, Dean.”

“Yeah right. I’m sure other people stood up for you, like Gabe,” Dean offered.

“The other kids pretty much left me alone during the year that Gabe and I were both there. Gabe didn’t even know about it.” Cas looked down at his hands resting on the table.

Dean reached over and took one of Cas’s hands in his own. “I’m sorry, Cas. You didn’t deserve that.”

Cas looked up at Dean, eyes a little watery, and muttered a soft, “Thank you, Dean.”

They stared at each other in a comfortable silence. Dean knew he should have released Cas’s hand by that point, but he couldn’t bring himself to let go.

“Cas,” Dean spoke quietly, “I think I might be bi.”

Cas smiled and squeezed Dean’s hand. “I’m glad you’re able to admit it.”

“Me too,” Dean smiled back.

They continued to hold each other’s gaze as they enjoyed another stretch of silence and drank their coffees, hands still joined.

When both their coffee mugs were empty, Dean asked, “Would you like to take a walk?”

“I’d love to,” Cas’s smile beamed, accentuating the crinkles around his eyes.

Dean returned the smile and let Cas’s hand go as they stood and pushed their chairs in. When they got to the door, Dean held it open for Cas and followed behind him outside.

After a couple of steps, Dean tugged on Cas’s sleeve. “I have a better idea. Did you drive here?”

“Yes. Why?” Cas looked confused.

“What do you say we name your car?” Dean suggested.

“Right now?”

“Sure, why not? Where’s your car?”

“Over there,” Cas pointed to the left and down the road a ways. “The white one.”

“Keys?” Dean grinned and held out his hand.

Cas fished them out of his pocket and gave them to Dean.

As they approached the Prius Hybrid, Dean hit the unlock button on the key and opened the passenger side door for Cas. “Thank you,” Cas said, right before Dean closed the door and walked to the driver’s side.

“Alright,” Dean said as he buckled himself into the seat, “let’s see what she’s like.”

“I assume by ‘she,’ you mean the car?”

Dean snorted and eyed Cas. “Yeah, Cas. I mean the car.” He put the key in the ignition and started the engine. “Wow.”

“Wow, what?”

“The engine is so quiet.”

“Is that a bad thing?” Cas asked, worried that there might be something wrong with his car.

“Nah. I just think you should be able to hear an engine purr.” Dean pulled out of the parking spot and headed down the street.

Cas nodded. “So, where are we going?”

“I don’t know,” Dean looked over at Cas. “Where do you want to go?”

“It doesn’t really matter, I just didn’t know if you needed to drive the car for a specific length of time or something in order to be able to name it.”

“Shouldn’t take too long.” Dean turned to the right when they came to a traffic stop. He reached over and grabbed Cas’s hand, placing it on his own thigh.

“I’m glad you came back,” Cas said, “after you walked out earlier.”

“Me too,” Dean squeezed Cas’s hand.

Cas turned his head and gazed out the window, sighing in content.

After a few minutes, Dean said, “We can head back now. I think I know what her name should be.”

“What is it?” Cas looked at Dean with big eyes.

Dean smirked. “I’ll tell you when we get back.”

When they reached the café, Dean lifted his hand off of Cas’s to pull up to the curb again and put the car in park. He turned the engine off and handed the keys to Cas who was looking excited with anticipation.

“Angel,” Dean said.

“Excuse me?”

“Her name is Angel.”

“Angel,” Cas tested the name on his tongue. “Why Angel?”

“Well, a couple reasons…” Dean unbuckled the seat belt and twisted to look at Cas. “She’s white, which is the color that angels wear all the time – white robes and all that. And she’s super quiet, like angels who can’t be heard. And she’s a hybrid, which helps the environment, and angels are all about helping.” Cas was nodding along. “I know it probably sounds stupid, but that’s just the name that came to me. You don’t have to use it if you don’t want to, though.”

“No. No, I like it.” Cas smiled, and placed a hand on Dean’s forearm. “And I like you.”

Dean looked down and nibbled on his bottom lip, feeling a heat rush up to his face.

“I’m sorry,” Cas said. “That was inappropriate, wasn’t it?”

Dean’s head snapped up. “No! It’s not that. I just…”

“This is all new for you. I understand,” Cas removed his hand from Dean’s arm.

“Cas, can I…” Dean licked his lips and fixed his eyes on Cas’s mouth. “Is it okay if I…” Dean struggled, but Cas just nodded with a knowing smile. Dean leaned in slowly – unsure – until he felt his lips press against Cas’s. The kiss was soft and brief, but Dean felt a tingle spread through his body. He placed his hand on the back of Cas’s neck and pulled him in again. Their parted lips locked together and they made no rush to break the connection. Dean let out a quiet hum before pulling back to look at Cas. He rested their foreheads together and smiled at the beautiful blue-eyed man who had just changed his life forever. “I like you too, Cas.”

**Author's Note:**

> Cute fact: My uncle met his wife online (ages ago) and they made their username WeInterMet. Because they Met on the Internet. I know it's kind of cheesy, but it's what came to mind when I was trying to think of a title.


End file.
